Contact Information:
research@mana.org; to join the Division and for general information
statistics@mana.org; for the MANA Statistics Project

For more information on the MANA Division of Research, click the Research tab.

MANA Committees

Advisor, Access and Equity Committee
Indra Lusero, JD, MAequity@mana.org
Indra Lusero, Esq., works as an organizer, trainer, and lawyer practicing family formation and regulatory law in Colorado. Indra’s publications include “Challenging Hospital VBAC Bans Through Tort Liability” and “Making the Midwife Impossible: How the Structure of Maternity Care Harms the Practice of Home Birth Midwifery.” Indra went to law school after attending a MANA conference in 2005 where folks lamented not having a “hot shot team of lawyers” who could help defend midwives. Indra has endeavored to develop just such a team.

Communications Chair
Jill Breen CPM, CLCpressofficer@mana.org
Jill Breen CPM, CLC has been serving women, babies and families for 36 years as a homebirth midwife and natural family health consultant. A MANA member since 1984, Jill has served on the Board of Directors in several positions including President, as well as on several working committees, and currently is Communications Chair. She is a founding member of Midwives of Maine, a statewide, inclusive association of midwives since 1981. Jill is a Home Birth Summit delegate active on the Collaboration Task Force. She was an appointee to the Maine Governor’s Advisory Committee on Rulemaking regarding certified midwives and was a member of the Maine CDC Inter-professional Work Group addressing flow of care across birth settings. The Maine Best Practice Recommendations for Handoff Communication During Transport from a Home or Freestanding Birth Center to a Hospital Setting was approved by the Commissioner of Health and Human Services in November, 2014. Jill writes, speaks, and mentors including as a guest lecturer at University of Maine. She is the mother of 6 children, all born at home, and has 9 grandchildren, all born into the hands of midwives, including her own.

On-Line Community Managers

Nermarí Faría Broderick is mom to three boys and a baby girl who were all born with midwives, either at home or a birth center. Since her first pregnancy, she has become passionate about natural birth and midwifery, hoping to educate as many other moms as possible on childbirth choices. Nermarí is a public relations professional by trade, and a stay-at-home mom by choice. You can follow her on Twitter @justNermari.

Ashley Klemm is mom to five children and an aspiring CPM. While waiting for the littlest ones to be old enough for the on-call lifestyle of a midwife, she currently works to educate pregnant women about their options in pregnancy and birth. VBAC is one of Ashley's particular interests, having had four VBACs herself.

Adriana Lozada is a birth doula, postpartum educator, maternity consultant, writer and ad hoc designer. She loves helping women become confident, calm and fearless mothers. A former print and online editor, the birth of her daughter sparked her passion for being a birth advocate and led her to open Birthful: a company that helps moms take on whatever maternity sends their way.

Chanté Perryman is the owner of Baby Dreams Maternity Conierge. She is the mom of one and became a Birth Advocate shortly after the birth of her daughter. She is passionate about helping parents prepare for the arrival of their babies along with helping them with car seat education and home baby proofing. She leads the Positive Birth Movement in her area and is a coordinator for the Improving Birth Rally. She will be a Certified Birth and Postpartum Doula soon.

Heather Richard is a writer, childbirth educator, certified Life-Cycle Celebrant, and former birth doula. She teaches "Write Your Birth Story" workshops and private Birth Story sessions to help heal birth trauma. The birth mother of two sets of twins and one singleton, she works to promote midwifery as the gold standard of care for women.

Carrie Riley is the mother to two boys and a student of Maternal Child Health with a concentration in Lactation Consulting. Her long term schooling includes midwifery training and she plans to specialize in work with sexual abuse survivors. She is currently a registered yoga teacher and leads a variety of classes including prenatal yoga to help facilitate optimal birth conditions and manage pain during labor.